The Volokh Conspiracy

[Orin Kerr, April 7, 2008 at 7:31pm] Trackbacks

Congrats to Gene Weingarten

of the Washington Post, who has won a Pulitzer Prize for his story about Joshua Bell playing the violin in the DC Metro (as blogged here at the time). Well deserved.

On a related front, the Pulitzer Prize committee showed its excellent judgment by awarding the prize for distinguished editorial writing to no one.

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Anderson (mail):

Wow, that "no award" is harsh to the nominees.

Not unjustified, I don't say; but harsh.

4.7.2008 8:49pm

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Carolina:

Weingarten's is well-deserved. He's a real talent, and the Post is fortunate to have him.

4.7.2008 8:59pm

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Lively:

Love Joshua Bell. And the story.

4.7.2008 9:49pm

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Tom R (mail):

> "Maureen Downey of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution"

That's an Iowahawk parody of You-know-who, innit?

4.7.2008 10:37pm

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Guest12345:

Link dammit. To the video they keep referring to.

4.7.2008 11:34pm

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neurodoc:

Let it not be overlooked that this was staged at L'Enfant Plaza Metro stop. Results might have been different at a stop between Metro Center and Shady Grove.

4.8.2008 1:09am

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markm (mail):

neurodoc: More likely to change the results of Joshua Bell's experiment is if it had been staged at any other time than morning rush hour. I once spent three years attempting to learn to play the violin. (How badly did I play? My first teacher ran away and joined the Army.) I recognize and greatly appreciate good playing, but when I'm going to work, I don't stop for anything.

4.8.2008 11:04am

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neurodoc:

markm, a different time of day, especially other than rush hour, might have produced a different result too, and indeed a bigger difference. But the effect I was positing was one based on a different demographic (higher SES) riding Metro on that portion of the Red line which passes right by me (through NW DC and on to Bethesda and beyond) as opposed to the Metro lines (Yellow, Green, Blue and Orange) that run through the L'Enfant station.

4.9.2008 3:46am

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Mike Lewis (mail):

"On a related front, the Pulitzer Prize committee showed its excellent judgment by awarding the prize for distinguished editorial writing to no one."

Please elaborate on why you believe this decision constituted excellent judgment. I'm curious.

4.9.2008 11:06am